Yarn handling

ABSTRACT

A take-up machine having a rotating spindle on which a tube is releasably clamped for winding of a strand of yarn onto the tube to form a yarn package. The machine automatically threads the strand of yarn onto the spindle to start winding of the yarn onto the tube and, if desired, first winds a tailing end about an end of the tube, and then winds a body of yarn on the tube to form the yarn package. A variable speed spindle drive is automatically operated at a manually pre-set constant speed during thread-up and immediately upon thread-up is switched to a speed different from the constant pre-set speed and conventional control of the winding speed.

United States Patent Allam et al. [451 June 27, 1972 [54} YARN HANDLING 3,224,692 12/1965 [72] Inventors: James N. Allam, Woonsocket; Joseph J.

3,385,532 5/1968 Sparling ..242/18 PW [73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warwick, RI.

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath [22] 1970 Attorney-Albert P, Davis and Burnett W, Norton 211 App]. 110.: 12 583 57 ABSTRACT 521 11.5. c1 ..242/18 R, 242 1 8 Pw, 242/19, A takeup "Whine having a mating W which 8 242,45 is releasably clamped for winding of a strand of yarn onto the 511 1111. C1 ..B65h 54/02 lube Mm a Y Package mmmicully 15s 1 Field of Search ..242 13 PW 1s 19 45 threads Yam the Wind" windmg the yarn onto the tube and, if desired, first winds a tailing end 56 R f i about an end of the tube, and then winds a body of yarn on the l 1 e erences C ted tube to form the yarn package. A variable speed spindle drive I D STATES PATENTS is automatically operated at a manually pre-set constant speed during thread-up and immediately upon thread-up is switched l 1560 5/1966 Mafiedo "342/18 PW to a speed different from the constant preset speed and con- 2,998,202 8/196l Keith et al. ....242/ l 8 PW Vemiona] comm] of the winding Speed 3,097,804 7/1963 Jackson ..242/19 3,l66,262 1/1965 Vanneman, Sr. ..242/19 20 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures P,-"-TZZITEDJur:27 1:?2 3. 672.582

sum 1 or 2 INVENT 5 JAMES N. ALLA JOSEPH J.MORROCCOIII BY WK 2% ATTORNEYS YARN HANDLING This invention relates to strand handling and, more particularly, to winding.

As used herein the term package means a body of yarn or other strand material wound so it may be readily moved from place to place. The term body means a main body of yarn wound to form the package. The term tailing end" means a portion of the strand extending from an end winding of the body. The term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand material, either textile or otherwise.

The following Leesona Corporation U.S. patents and patent applications may be of interest: U.S. Pat. No. 2,481,031, granted Sept. 6, 1949 is directed to forming a tailing end on a yarn package; U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,202, granted Aug. 29, 1961, and directed to an Initial Thread End Snagger for a rotating spindle; Ser. No. 652,819 filed July 12, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,871, in part directed to automatic threading of a spindle; and Ser. No. 816,514, filed Apr. 16, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,903, in part directed to apparatus for forming a tailing end (transfer tail) on a package. Reference is also directed to a well known and widely used take-up machine, Model No. 959, manufactured by Leesona Corporation, to which the present invention is particularly applicable.

This machine has a rotating spindle for holding a tube onto which a strand of yarn is traversed to form a yarn package, with a variable speed drive for the spindle controlled by a compensator arm for maintaining substantially constant tension in the yarn as it is wound onto the tube.

The above noted Model No. 959 take-up machine is conventionally threaded-up by taking up an advancing or running yarn end in an aspirator as the yarn end is moving past a threading flange of the spindle. As the spindle speed is increased a threading hook moves outwardly responsive to centrifugal force and snags the yarn end, and then the end passing to the aspirator is cut and the yarn is traversed onto the rotating tube.

The invention, in brief, is directed to a winder having a rotating spindle on which a strand is traversed to form a package. The spindle is initially rotated at a constant pre-set speed and the strand is threaded onto the spindle by moving the strand into engagement with a substantially stationary clamp on and rotating with the spindle. As the strand rotates with the clamp its free end is cut whereupon a tailing end of the strand is, if desired, automatically wound onto the spindle and then the strand is traversed to and fro axially along the spindle as a body is wound in normal manner to form a package. When the strand is received by the spindle, the rotational speed of the spindle is changed and controlled in the conventional and normal manner.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide new and improved apparatus for handling a strand. A more specific object is provision of new and improved apparatus for handling a strand during thread-up of a rotating spindle and, if desired, for automatically forming a tailing end on the spindle before winding a body of yarn thereon.

Another object is provision of new and improved apparatus for winding a strand onto a rotating spindle, the apparatus including a mechanism for retaining the strand prior to starting the strand winding onto the spindle and for delivering the strand to the spindle and starting the strand winding onto the spindle; the spindle having a variable speed drive operated to rotate the spindle at a first speed prior to starting winding of the strand onto the spindle and to rotate the spindle at a normal winding speed other than the first speed upon starting winding of the strand onto the spindle; and/or mechanism for releasably positioning the strand for winding a tailing end and for releasing the strand to commence winding of the body. Related objects are provision for automatically severing the strand as it starts winding onto the spindle; provision of a retaining member movable from a first position in which the strand is retained to a position in which the strand is delivered to the spindle; provision of a positioning member for movement between a holding position for holding the strand to wind the tailing end and then releasing the strand to commence winding of the body; provision for the retaining member, upon delivering the strand to the spindle, to retain the positioning member in its holding position and upon movement of the retaining member to its first position to release the positioning member for movement to its releasing position; provision for moving the positioning member to release the strand responsive to movement of the strand when the retaining member so releases the positioning member; and provision for yieldably urging the positioning member to its holding position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, schematic perspective view of a portion of a take-up machine incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the parts in a position awaiting thread-up of a spindle;

FIG, 2 is a fragmentary, schematic perspective view similar to and showing a portion of FIG. 1, just as the spindle is receiving the yarn at the moment of thread-up;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, schematic perspective view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the spindle after a tailing end has been formed and a body of yarn has started to wind onto the spindle to form a package;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, schematic elevational view showing another embodiment of an actuating mechanism shown in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 and 6 are enlarged, fragmentary, schematic sectional views taken generally along the lines 5-5 and 6-6 in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, and show progressive steps in the operation of a yarn positioning member;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, schematic sectional view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6, but showing the yarn positioning member in an interim position while moving between the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, schematic sectional view taken generally along the line 8-8 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of a pneumatic control system for the actuating mechanism shown in FIGS. 1-3; and

FIG. 10 is a diagram, simplified for purposes of discussion and illustration, of an electrical control circuit for the machine.

Referring toFlG. I of the drawings, a take-up machine 10 (only portions of the machine being shown) has a base 12 including a housing 14 for control apparatus, a housing 16 of traverse mechanism 18, and a mount (not shown) for a rotatable spindle 20. A core or tube 22 is releasably clamped on the spindle 20 for rotation therewith to wind a strand of yarn 24 onto the tube 22 as the yarn is traversed to and fro axially of the spindle 20 and tube 22 by a guide 26 (shown by broken lines in FIG. 3) of the traversing mechanism 18. As the yarn 24 winds onto the tube 22 it engages a roller bail 28 journaled on the base. Yarn is fed to the spindle 20 from conventional godet rolls 30 mounted on a panel 32, fixed relative to the take-up machine 10, and rotated in the usual manner at a preset speed which controls the delivery speed of the yarn, as is well understood in the art.

A mounting bracket 34 (FIG. 1) has a body 36 fixedly secured (not shown) to the base 12 behind the spindle 20. This bracket 34 includes an aspirator holder 38 in the form of a flange 40 parallel to the bracket body 36 and spaced therefrom by a leg 42. A notch in the upper edge of the aspirator holder 38 releasably receives and holds an aspirator 44 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is connected with pressure and hoses 46.

During the initial phase of the thread-up procedure, still with reference to FIG. 1, the aspirator 44 is removed from its holder 38 and the free end of the yarn 24 is inserted into the mouth of the aspirator 44 whereupon the godet rolls 30 may be started to advance with the yarn 24 taken up and disposed of by the aspirator 44. The yarn 24 is manually led, by means of the aspirator 44, across suitable guides including, in order, a guide wheel 48 mounted on an arm extending from the bracket 34, another guide (not shown) behind the spindle 20, then across a compensator wheel 50 journaled on the free end of a compensator arm 52 which is rotatably mounted (not shown) within the control housing 14. The compensator wheel 50 is generally centered axially of the tube 22. From the compensator wheel 50 the yarn is led to a yarn handling device in the form of a yarn retainer 54 mounted on the housing 16 of the base 12 and is inserted into a slot 56 in a retaining finger 58, from which the yarn led to a yarn cutter 60 mounted on the bracket 34 and is inserted into a slot 62 in a free end of a cutter body 64, whereupon the aspirator 44 is inserted into its holder 38 as the yarn 24 continues to be taken up by the aspirator.

The yarn retainer 54, as previously noted, is mounted on the base 12 and, more particularly, includes a mounting bracket 66 fixedly secured, as by bolts 68, to a portion of the housing 16. A U-shaped slide 70 has its legs 72 telescoped through holes in the outer end of the mounting bracket 66 with the free end of one of thelegs 72 received in a collar 74 and thereby fixedly secured to the free end of a piston rod 76 of a doubleacting pneumatic cylinder 78 fixedly mounted on the housing 16 by means of a bracket 80. The yarn retaining finger 58 has a lower U-shaped end 82 (FIGS. 1 and -7) fixedly clamped on the legs 72 of the slide 70 as by a nut and bolt 84. A body 86 extends upwardly from the U-shaped end 82 and at the top of the body 86 is an inverted U-shaped portion having a bight 88 with the yarn receiving slot 56 formed therein. The yarn retaining finger 58, as shown in FIG. 1, is spaced its maximum distance from a free end nose 90 of the spindle 20, and upon operation of the cylinder 78 the finger 58 is moved to the right and proximate the spindle nose 90, as shown in FIG. 2, and as will be more fully described later.

The yarn cutter 60 (FIGS. 1 and 8) has its body 64 formed by a horizontal flange 91 extending from a vertical flange 92 having a horizontally elongated slot 94 which receives a pair of bolts 96 threaded into an arm 98 (FIG. 8) of the mounting bracket 34, thus mounting the yarn cutter body 64 for generally horizontal sliding movement toward and away from the spindle nose 90. The arm 98 is parallel to and spaced from the body 36 of the bracket 34 by a leg 100 (FIG. 8). In FIGS. 1-3, the yarn cutter 60 is proximate the spindle nose 90 and is yieldably urged to this position by a tension spring 102 (FIG.

8) having one end secured to a rod 104 extending from the vertical flange 92 and the other end suitably mounted in the leg 100 of the bracket. To retract the yarn cutter body 64, a handle 106 (FIG. 1), fixedly secured to the vertical flange of the cutter, is retracted until the nose 108 of a detent 110, pivotally mounted by means of a pin 112 on another arm 114 of the mounting bracket 34, is urged by a torsion spring (not visible) into a hole 116 in the horizontal flange 91 of the yarn cutter body 64. A cutting blade 118 (FIG. 8) is detachably fixed to the vertical flange as by a U-shaped clamp 120. A cutting edge 122 of the blade 118 overlies a yarn cutting slot 124 formed in the lower edge of vertical flange 92 below the yarn receiving slot 62 in the horizontal flange 91.

In order to thread-up the spindle 20, a button actuator 126 (FIG. 9) of a vented three-way pneumatic valve 128 is depressed whereupon air is admitted to an air pilot operator 130 of a vented four-way valve 132 to provide air to the head end of the cylinder 78, causing it to retract its piston rod 76 and thereby move the slide 70 and the retaining finger 58 to the right and toward the spindle nose 90. Operation of the pneumatic control will be more fully described later with reference to FIG. 9.

As the yarn retaining finger 58 moves toward the spindle nose 90, the yarn 24 is caused to move through the yarn cutting slot 124 and the yarn is urged against an annular outer face 134 (FIG. 1-3) of a cylindrical threading flange 136 of the spindle nose 90, with the spindle 20 rotating in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 138. The yarn 24 now springs into an oiT-set slot 140 in the threading flange 136 and is gripped between a recessed annular face 142 of the spindle nose 90 and a free end of a resilient yarn clamp 144 having its opposite end fixedly secured to the annular face as by bolts 146. As the yarn 24 is gripped by the yarn clamp 144 it is withdrawn from the yarn retaining slot 56 and is bent across the cutting edge 122 of the yarn cutter 60 and is severed, and the severed end is disposed of through the aspirator 44 which may now be shut off. During severing of the yarn 24 it is more firmly seated under the yarn clamp 144, and then starts to wind onto the tube 22.

When the yarn 24 is delivered to the yarn clamp 144, the spindle 20 is rotating at a pre-set constant speed slightly higher than its normal winding speed. The spindle speed is generally in the range of 5,000 rpm. and may be pre-set to provide a yarn speed of 7,700 feet per minute, for example, during thread-up, with a subsequent maximum winding speed of about 7,600 feet per minute, which is initiated through the electric control system at the moment of clamp 144 receives the yarn, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 10. The normal winding speed is varied by the control system (FIG. 10) to provide substantially constant tension in the ad vancing yarn, as is well understood in the art. 7

With the spindle 20 operating at or approaching its normal winding speed, a tailing end 148 (FIG. 3) is wound onto the tube 22 and to this end a yarn positioner 150 (FIGS. 1-3 and 5-7) is provided. The yarn positioner 150 comprises a mounting bracket 152 (FIGS. 5-7) having a flange 154 with a generally horizontal elongated slot 156 receiving a bolt 158 threaded into the housing 16, so that the yarn positioner 150 may be adjusted axially of the spindle 20 and the tube 22. The bracket 152 has a generally horizontal flange 160 on which a yarn positioning finger 162 is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 164. A torsion spring 166 (FIG. 5) is received about the pin 164 and has opposite ends suitably attached to the finger 162 and the bracket 154 for yieldably urging the finger clockwise from the positions shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 to the position shown in FIG. 5. As the yarn retaining finger 58 moves the yarn 24 against the threading flange 136 of the spindle 20, the yarn is releasably retained by the positioning finger 162 (FIG. 6) and the positioning finger is pivoted counterclockwise until a beveled edge 167 of the positioning finger 162 abuts against the retaining finger 58 (FIG. 6) so that the yarn 24 is held out of engagement with the traversing guide 26 and winds onto a limited portion of the tube 22 to form the tailing end 148. The tailing end 148 continues to wind onto the tube 22 until the retaining finger 58 moves to the left from the position shown in FIG. 6, and toward the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, whereupon the positioning finger 162 is released (FIG. 7) and the yarn pivots the finger 162 counterclockwise and is released from the finger and received by the traversing guide 26 in normal manner for winding a body of yarn 168 (FIG. 3) onto the tube 22. The body of yarn 168 is preferably spaced from the tailing end windings 148.

An electric control circuit for change from the preset, constant speed to the normal winding speed and operation is shown in FIG. 10. As the yarn is received by the yarn clamp 144 (FIG. 1) on the spindle nose 90, which is rotating at the pre-set, higher than normal winding speed, the tension in the yarn 24 is increased since the feed rate of the yarn is constant and controlled by the godet rolls 30, as previously discussed. A resultant increase in yarn tension causes the compensator wheel 50 and arm 52 to be abruptly pivoted upwardly a greater distance than during winding operation. Such upward movement causes a finger 170 (FIG. 1) which is fixed to the compensator arm 52 within the control housing 14 to engage an actuator finger 172 of a change-over switch 174 (FIGS. 1 and 10), closing the switch and resulting in the spindle drive motor 176 (FIG. 10) being placed under the control of the compensator arm 52 and the related mechanism which, on a standard take-up machine, is well understood in the art. In brief, as the body of yarn 168 grows in diameter on the tube 22, the rotational speed of the spindle 20 is reduced to correspond to the feed rate of the yarn 24 as pre-set by the godet rolls 30.

In starting operation of the take-up machine, the compensator arm 52 -is lifted and propped up by a bracket 178 swingingly mounted on an arm 180 fixed to the housing 14, so that the compensator arm lifts its finger 170 (FIG. 1) off of an actuator 182 of a master control switch 134 within the housing 14 (FIG. to close the switch. A manually adjustable potentiometer 186 is in circuit and through an amplifier 188 and a motor controller 190 of the spindle drive motor 176, the spindle speed may be varied by manual adjustment of the potentiometer 186 to provide a desired constant, pre-set speed of the spindle for the thread-up operation, as previously mentioned. When the yarn 24 is gripped by the spindles yarn clamp 144 and the compensator arm 52 is moved upwardly and closes the change over switch 174, a relay R is placed in circuit and closes its normally open contact 1R to provide a holding circuit which is necessary since the compensator arm will drop downwardly to its normal position permitting the change over switch 174 to open. Actuation of the relay R causes it to open its normally closed contact 2R, dropping the potentiometer out of circuit, and also to close its normally open contact 3R to place an automatic speed controller 192 (ASC) in circuit with the amplifier and motor controller, whereupon the compensator arm 52 takes over control of the motor speed which, as previously noted, is slightly lower than the pre-set speed. The automatic speed controller may be of any suitable type and many types are well known in the art.

A pneumatic circuit which controls operation of the yarn retainer actuating cylinder 78 is shown in FIG. 9. The manually operated vented three-way valve 128 receives pilot air through a restriction 194 in a branch 196 of an air supply line 198. When it is desired to thread-up the spindle 20, the knob actuator 126 of the valve 128 is depressed to open the valve and pass pilot air through a conduit 200 to the air pilot operator 130 of the vented four-way valve 132 whereupon line pressure passes through a branch 202 from the main supply line 198 to the valve 132 and then through a hose 204 (FIGS. 1-3 and 10) to the head of the cylinder 78, and the rear end of the cylinder is vented through a hose 206 and the air piloted valve 132, causing the cylinder to retract its piston rod 76 whereupon the yarn 24 is threaded onto the spindle as previously described. Even though the three-way valve 128 may be manually held in its open position, the air pilot operator 130 is of a timing type which automatically releases the pilot air after a predetermined period of time so that the fourway valve vents 132 the head end of the cylinder 178 through the hose 204 and supplies line pressure through the hose 206 to the rear end of the cylinder 78 causing it to extend its piston rod 76, whereupon the yarn retainer finger 58 returns to its position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and winding of the tailing end 148 is completed and traversing of the yarn onto the tube 22 to form the body of yarn 168 commences. The air pilot operator 130 and the four-way valve 132 may be of any suitable type, for example the operator 130 may be a Model No. 34AR with snap action, and the four-way valve 132 may be a Model No. 4? spring return valve, as sold by Humphrey Products, P. O. Box 2008, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 49003.

A modified yarn retainer actuating mechanism is shown in FIG. 4. A yarn handling device in the form of a yarn retainer 208 is mounted on a slide 210 generally as previously described. The slide is mounted in a mounting bracket 212 fixed'to the housing 16 generally as previously described, and the bight of the U-shaped slide is provided with a knob 214 for manual actuation. When it is desired to thread-up the spindle 20, the knob 214 is depressed against a stop pin 216 on the mounting member 212. A compression spring 218 is telescoped on one leg of the slide 210 and is held between a collar 220 telescoped on the free end of this leg and fixedly secured to the housing 16 as by a bolt 222, and an adjustable collar 224 is telescoped on an inner portion of the leg and fixed in an adjustable position as by a set bolt 226. When the knob 214 is depressed the spring is compressed and returns the yarn retainer finger 58 to the starting position when the knob 214 is released.

While this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiments or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding a strand comprising, means for advancing the strand at a delivery speed, winding means for receiving the strand from the advancing means and winding the strand into a package, drive means for rotating the winding means, means for operating the drive means in a constant speed mode to rotate the winding means at a constant speed a commencement of winding of the strand onto said winding means, said constant speed being correlated with delivery speed so as to ensure proper initial winding of the strand onto the winding means, and actuator means operable in response to the commencement of winding of said strand on said winding means to shift the operation of said drive means to a variable speed mode whereby the speed of rotation of said winding means can be adjusting said package is wound.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for severing the strand as said strand commences winding onto said winding means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for releasably positioning the strand for winding a tailing end on said winding means and for releasing the strand to commence winding of said package.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including means mount ing the positioning means for movement between a holding position for positioning the strand to wind the tailing end and a releasing position for releasing the strand to commence winding of the package.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a strand collector to which the strand is delivered prior to being wound to said winding means, and handling means mounted proximate said winding means and engagable with said strand intermediate said collector and said winding means to commence the strand winding onto said winding means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said handling means includes severing means operable to sever the strand between said winding means and said collector as said strand commences winding on said winding means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said handling means includes positioning means operable between a holding position for positioning the strand to wind a tailing end on said winding means and a releasing position for releasing the strand for commencement of winding of said package, and the handling means includes a movable member for moving the strand into engagement with said positioning means.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including means yieldably urging the positioning means to its holding position.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the drive means is electrically operated means, and including an electrical circuit for operating the drive means.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the actuator means includes an automatic speed controller and motor controller connected in said electrical circuit for operating said drive means in said variable speed mode and thereby maintaining substantially constant tension of the strand during the winding operation.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said electrical circuit includes a potentiometer for operating said drive means in said constant speed mode.

12 Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said actuator further includes a compensator mechanism engagable with the strand as said'strand advances to said winding means, said actuator means being operable in response to sensing of the tension condition of said strand by said compensator mechanism to shift the operation of said drive means from said constant speed mode to said variable speed mode.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the compensator mechanism is movable in response to tension variations in the strand, and said actuating means is operated in response to a tension increase in said strand.

14 Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said electrical circuit includes a holding relay for preventing said drive means from being shifted from said variable speed mode to said constant speed mode during winding of said package.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including a collector to which the strand is delivered prior to being wound on said winding means, strand engaging means for commencing the strand winding on said winding means, and means for severing the strand as it starts winding onto the winding means.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the strand engaging means including receiving means on the winding means for receiving and starting the strand winding onto the winding means and guiding means for moving the strand into position to be received by said receiving means.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said strand engaging means includes positioning means operable between a holding position for positioning the strand to wind a tailing end on said winding means and a release position for releasing the strand to commence winding of the package.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 including means yieldably urging the positioning means to its holding position.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including means for pneumatically operating said strand engaging means.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including means for manually operating said strand engaging means. 

1. Apparatus for winding a strand comprising, means for advancing the strand at a delivery speed, winding means for receiving the strand from the advancing means and winding the strand into a package, drive means for rotating the winding means, means for operating the drive means in a constant speed mode to rotate the winding means at a constant speed a commencement of winding of the strand onto said winding means, said constant speed being correlated with delivery speed so as to ensure proper initial winding of the strand onto the winding means, and actuator means operable in response to the commencement of winding of said strand on said winding means to shift the operation of said drive means to a variable speed mode whereby the speed of rotation of said winding means can be adjusting Said package is wound.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for severing the strand as said strand commences winding onto said winding means.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for releasably positioning the strand for winding a tailing end on said winding means and for releasing the strand to commence winding of said package.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including means mounting the positioning means for movement between a holding position for positioning the strand to wind the tailing end and a releasing position for releasing the strand to commence winding of the package.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a strand collector to which the strand is delivered prior to being wound to said winding means, and handling means mounted proximate said winding means and engagable with said strand intermediate said collector and said winding means to commence the strand winding onto said winding means.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said handling means includes severing means operable to sever the strand between said winding means and said collector as said strand commences winding on said winding means.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said handling means includes positioning means operable between a holding position for positioning the strand to wind a tailing end on said winding means and a releasing position for releasing the strand for commencement of winding of said package, and the handling means includes a movable member for moving the strand into engagement with said positioning means.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including means yieldably urging the positioning means to its holding position.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the drive means is electrically operated means, and including an electrical circuit for operating the drive means.
 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the actuator means includes an automatic speed controller and motor controller connected in said electrical circuit for operating said drive means in said variable speed mode and thereby maintaining substantially constant tension of the strand during the winding operation.
 11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said electrical circuit includes a potentiometer for operating said drive means in said constant speed mode. 12 Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said actuator further includes a compensator mechanism engagable with the strand as said strand advances to said winding means, said actuator means being operable in response to sensing of the tension condition of said strand by said compensator mechanism to shift the operation of said drive means from said constant speed mode to said variable speed mode.
 13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the compensator mechanism is movable in response to tension variations in the strand, and said actuating means is operated in response to a tension increase in said strand. 14 Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said electrical circuit includes a holding relay for preventing said drive means from being shifted from said variable speed mode to said constant speed mode during winding of said package.
 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including a collector to which the strand is delivered prior to being wound on said winding means, strand engaging means for commencing the strand winding on said winding means, and means for severing the strand as it starts winding onto the winding means.
 16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the strand engaging means including receiving means on the winding means for receiving and starting the strand winding onto the winding means and guiding means for moving the strand into position to be received by said receiving means.
 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said strand engaging means includes positioning means operable between a holding position for positioning the strand to wind a tailing end on said winding meaNs and a release position for releasing the strand to commence winding of the package.
 18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 including means yieldably urging the positioning means to its holding position.
 19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including means for pneumatically operating said strand engaging means.
 20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including means for manually operating said strand engaging means. 